Monthly Update: June 2017

Posted on July 10, 2017

I spent much of June obsessing over kayaks.

I’m on the hunt for an affordable and reliable one to purchase. I missed my chance in May when Eastern Mountain Sports went out of business and I could have grabbed an old rental kayak in great shape for $300. I want to buy cheap at first because I’m not sure how much I’ll actually use it. Share all your kayak buying tips with me!

Otherwise, June was pretty low-key. There is not much to report on, but here’s what else I got up to in June.

Places Visited

I literally only traveled between home and work. When I’m not waiting tables in Hyannis, I’m doing work online at home in Sandwich. Snore.

That’s summertime for a Cape Cod local in a nutshell, though. Nose to the grindstone for the summer, from start to finish.

There are a few places I’d like to go before summer ends, though. The number one destination is Cuttyhunk Island – one of two public islands of the Elizabeth Islands chain that extends into Buzzards Bay from Woods Hole. It’s a small island, less than one square mile in size, according to the 2000 census, only 52 year-round residents. As small and remote as it is, it has centuries of history I’d love to explore.

I grew up on Cape Cod thinking the Elizabeth Islands were nothing but piles of sand, a home to no one but birds. Since learning of the tiny population with their one restaurant and one schoolhouse, I’ve been eager to visit. This is the summer that I make that happen!

Highlights

I saw Michael Franti at the Cape Cod Melody Tent. I went alone because most people I know have never heard of him. Which I think is preposterous. Crawl out from under your rocks, people!

Last summer, I didn’t go see Phillip Phillips when he played at the Melody Tent because no one would go with me. Psshh.

I didn’t want that to happen again, so I just went for it. Going to a concert alone, even at the Melody Tent, was an interesting experience. I figured if I can go to movies alone, eat meals alone, and travel around New Zealand for three months alone, I can enjoy the live show of one of my favorite artists alone.

Have you ever attended an event or done something alone that people usually expect you to have company? Let’s chat in the comments below.

Challenges & Self-Care

I’ve always had trouble striking balance between work and play, no matter what type of work I’m doing. My waitressing schedule used to be 5-6 days a week, with 1-2 double shifts and many late nights. This schedule made having any kind of life outside the restaurant difficult.

Cutting down to just four single shifts a week this summer has proven to be a lifesaver. That leaves time on the days I waitress to get other tasks or errands done, and three days a week to work on writing, social media management, and having fun.

While working from home, there were some days, though, that time just got away from me. From the seat at my desk I watched blue skies turn pitch black through my skylight and wish I had made time to enjoy summer on Cape Cod. The place that I traveled across the globe earlier than expected because I missed it so much.

To remedy this, I’ve been more proactive with taking breaks when I need to readjust my focus. I’m fortunate to live in a house with a pool, so I’ve been stepping away from my desk for a quick dip or to listen to some music and just soak up some vitamin D.

I have been known to work through lunch (and sometimes dinner) while only sipping on a giant latte for hours. I realize how unhealthy this is! So, I’ve been stopping to prepare a proper lunch or dinner, as well. One of my favorite pastimes is listening to podcasts, so I take this time to do that, as well.

When July rolls around, and I’m waiting tables, I usually feel stressed to the max. The summer heat and crowds are stifling, and the worst kinds of tourists test my patience. This year, after adjusting to more online work and decreasing the number of shifts in my schedule, I feel like I’m accomplishing much more.

It’s only taken me years, almost decades, to realize what I need to achieve balance and happiness.

What I Read in June

How Not to Travel the World by Lauren Juliff. Lauren is an English travel blogger who I fell instantly in love with when I found Never Ending Footsteps years ago. She travels extensively despite having anxiety and being a self-described “walking disaster.” Her blog is full of “incidents” and stories about her misadventures, which you should also read.

In her memoir, though, Lauren brings you on her journey from being someone completely sheltered and naive (who didn’t know how airports worked and had never eaten rice) to a confident solo female traveler who has circled the globe several times over and now eats previously unimaginable things like eggs.

Her journey is proof that travel is transformative. That is something that I completely relate to.

More Next Month

I’ve already kept up with my goal of writing more for my own blog. I have several posts in the works for July, so keep an eye out for those!

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